Grudge Paid in Full
by SleepingSeeker
Summary: If the events of Follow the Leader ended with Leonardo escaping on his own, having to resort to using deadly force in order to escape-What would Splinter's reaction be to the fact that his most beloved pride had destroyed his only daughter. When grudges span lifetimes and hatred fills in the spaces, only destruction of all that is stable and good is the result. Rated T for blood.
1. Chapter 1

"To be wronged is nothing, unless you continue to remember it." –Confucius

"Holding a grudge and harboring resentment is poison to the soul." –Steve Maraboli

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**Grudge Paid in Full**

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He staggered into the living-room, dripping in blood, a broken katana gripped in a trembling fist. Raphael was the first to react. He was on his brother in a flash, catching him as Leonardo pitched forward, eyes rolling up into his head. Donatello emerged from the lab, a tracking device in one hand, with the sound of Michelangelo's frightened shout. They crowded around until Raphael barked at them to back off. He threw Leonardo's arm over his shoulder and half-dragged, half-carried him to the sofa.

"I'll get the first aid," Donatello said and rushed from the room tossing the device to one side, its use was moot now that Leonardo had returned without their help in rescuing him. Michelangelo following behind. His worried voice carried the fear that all of them were feeling.

"Will he be okay, Donnie? Will he?"

"Leo."

Raph knelt in front of Leonardo, he patted his face gently. Leonardo's breathing was shallow and ragged. His brows were knitted as if he was in pain. Raphael only assumed it was physical pain that was hurting his brother so much. He couldn't have guessed at the emotional and mental turmoil his brother wrestled with as he laid on the couch before him. Raphael's eyes scanned the wounds covering Leonardo's body. He was a mess of lacerations and bruises. Whatever Karai had put him through after her bots captured him must have been rough. He pulled his hands away from his brother, seeing that they were covered in hot crimson blood. So bright in the dim light of the television flickering behind him.

"God," he looked away feeling his stomach roil and with a voice that cracked, he hollered for their father. "Master! Master Splinter!"

Splinter appeared from the dojo and immediately fell to the floor next to Raphael. "My son," he breathed, his amber eyes flickered to Raphael. His hand flitted over Leonardo's face, dripping in sweat and blood, down to his neck, he dropped his head as he felt for a pulse then closed his eyes in relief. He looked at Raphael.

"H-He must have escaped from Karai. We were just about to go after him. D-Don needed to get his tracking device. Then it wasn't working, so we-we had to wait . . ." his voice was rising with a note of hysteria until Master Splinter placed a hand on his son's shoulder to calm him.

"Breathe, Raphael," he said softly.

Raphael, blinking rapidly, nodded and did his best to steady himself.

Donatello emerged from the lab with a box in his arms. He ran towards them and Master Splinter and Raphael spread apart, giving him room. Michelangelo produced a set of small white towels. One cool and wet and one dry.

"He'll be okay, right, Donnie?"

Donatello's bright eyes shot up, then he nodded. "Yeah, yes. He'll be okay. I need to clean some of these deeper wounds and get him stitched up. I . . . wouldn't be surprise if he's got a few bruised or broken ribs. He made it home but I think he's lost a lot of blood, by the color of his skin. I-I may need to do a transfusion."

Everyone stood in silence as they let that sink in.

"O-Of course, I . . . I've never done one before, but I-I am sure I can figure it out," Donnie reassured everyone in a wavering voice that only made them all more nervous. "R-Raph, I hate to move him, but I think, I need him in the infirmary . . . it's more uh, clean. Can you lift him?"

Raph gave a nod and immediately reached out and lifted Leonardo gently up off the couch. His head lulled onto Raph's chest. He murmured something and everyone froze. Raphael's green eyes darted to Splinter.

"What did he say?"

For a moment, it seemed as if Raphael wouldn't tell them. He struggled, then said, "Something like . . . 'M sorry . . . Karai."

Splinter's face dropped as the brothers followed Raphael to the infirmary. With a shaking claw, Splinter reached behind him to find the armrest of the chair next to the couch. The strength in his legs gave out and he fell heavily into the chair. His eyes roved around the room, as his mouth hung open slightly. Then his eyes locked on the broken katana; its blade stained in spatters of blood. His daughter's blood.

He slid bonelessly off the cushion onto the floor in a heap. His stomach churned as he leaned forward, stretching out to touch the hilt of the sword with his fingertips. The handle wobbled. It was sticky. He retched and gagged, then vomited onto the floor.

"M-Master Splinter?" Mikey's voice came from just inside the living room. He inched closer. He knelt down and placed a hand on his father's back. He blinked and looked around, seeing what Splinter was reaching for he pressed his mouth together, deciding to be strong for his dad when he had come looking for Splinter to comfort him in the first place. Mikey took a deep breath. "He's going to be okay," he said calmly.

Splinter shook his head and choked on a wordless noise that rose up from his chest.

Mikey leaned down and embraced Splinter, resting his head on his father's shoulder. He squeezed him tightly pouring all his love from his heart into the hug.

"Donnie knows what he's doing. Don't worry, Sensei. Leonardo will be fine."

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**A/N: **I plan on having one more chapter and that's all. This was going to be a one-shot, but I wanted more time to get into Splinter confronting Leonardo with the truth. Reviews are so greatly appreciated. xoxoxo


	2. The Kill is Never Clean

**Chapter 2 – The Kill is Never Clean**

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The hands grabbed and pulled at him; dragging his body in two different directions, threatening to tear him apart. He felt the sickening pop between his shoulder blades where his shell connected to his spine as the mechanized Foot soldier gripping the top rim of his carapace jerked it back and down while another had his head wrapped in a head lock and yanked him forward. He'd taken three down but there were four more and his arms were getting heavy and his kicks less and less accurate as the battle wore on. He snarled and dropped, using his body weight and gravity to wrench free. He dove forward, barreling into the soldier in front of him, tackling him to the ground. Leonardo reared back and plunged the broken end of his sword through the robot's forehead. A jolt of electricity raced through Leonardo's arms making him hiss in pain, but he could not release his katana. It was all he had left. His other blade had snapped near the hilt and was lost when he was first released from the cage Karai had kept him in. He hadn't anticipated the soldiers' bodies to be so hard. His first attempt at slicing one with his full strength had only ended in breaking one of his beloved katana.

A heel came at the side of his face and he ducked and rolled just in time to avoid the blow, his arms still vibrating in pain from the electric shock. He leaped to the side as another came at him. He swept his arm out and succeeded in beheading the bot. Their necks were a weak spot. The delicate join between head and body was just as vulnerable to severing as it was in flesh and blood counterparts. His clammy fingers strummed the hilt of his sword as he adjusted his grip on it.

_Two, just two more_, he thought as he scanned the room; chest heaving and dripping in sweat. They were circling him. He clamped one hand across his mid-section. It was burning to breathe. His legs wobbled. Karai was standing on a desk, watching the furious battle, grasping the controls in one hand. A strange look of hunger and excitement was on her face. His heart clenched at the thought of her enjoying the spectacle of his suffering.

Hoarsely, he called out to her, "Karai, you have to believe me." He dodged a swing at his face. "Splinter would . . . he would never . . ." he tried again, determined to reach her, but he was losing his breath. Each inhale sent a sharp pain through him and he knew at least one rib was broken. "hurt an innocent," he desperately added. Knowing it was no use, fearing that she hated him, refusing to believe she'd let him die.

His heel knocked into a downed soldier and he tumbled over it onto his shell. The two bots jumped on top of him. A yelp rose out of him as one of the soldier's fingers dug into his thigh painfully; fingertips breaking through his flesh. He slashed and cut that one in half. It released his leg and he hissed in pain. The other wheeled around him. It seized him by the throat and lifted him off the floor with inhuman strength, shaking him furiously as he choked and kicked uselessly trying to get free. Karai appeared next to the robot.

"I don't believe your lies, you _freak_," she said as she made the robot slam him into the floor and straddle him. His numb fingers fumbled at the hilt of his sword; it clattered to the ground near him. The wind was knocked from him. White explosions of agony appeared before his eyes. The mechanized soldier pinned him by the throat with one hand.

Karai leaned in closer. She was right next to him on the floor. Her eyes were flat and fierce; looking at him with a mix of disgust and hatred. Leonardo felt his chest constrict under that ugly glare; felt the bright pain lance his heart from the use of the word that he'd thought he'd gotten used to hearing. Somehow, hearing her use it against him, now, crushed him. The tears stung and he ground his teeth as he continued to struggle. An agonized groan came out of him.

Karai watched him struggle, then glanced at the remote in her hand and turned a dial making the fingers wrapped around his wind pipe tighten. Leonardo's eyes went wild with panic as his burning lungs were suddenly cut off from the precious air. The pressure built in his pounding head. He bucked and struggled. His heels knocked into the floor as his fingers dug at the robot's arm, trying to pull it off him.

"That's what you are, you know that? A lying little freak!"

_"N-No,"_ he croaked and hot tears of frustration, fear and despair ran down the sides of his cheeks.

She knelt down near him. Her eyes gleamed with wicked satisfaction. "I'm going to take his prize from him. To make him hurt the way he hurt me."

Panic raced through him as he understood she meant for him to not just suffer, but to die. Resolve grounded him. Leonardo pinched his eyes shut. He let go of the robot's arms. His fingers clawed at the tiled floor until they felt the silk wrapping woven around the hilt of his sword. They wound around it. Tightened. He plunged it upwards. He felt the blade slice through flesh. He heard her sharp shriek cut short with the killing blow even above his own terrible scream.

The remote fell to the ground. Leonardo smashed it with an elbow once, then again until the soldier's fingers loosened. He pushed the robot off of him. Karai was making a strangled sound, drowning slowly in her own blood. The cut was not clean.

"_Karai_," he rolled to his side and scrambled to his knees. Head spinning. Tasting blood even as he choked in the air. He tried gathering her up in his arms, but she fought him. Even in her death throes she used her hands, covered in hot crimson to push against him, push him away from her. But he would not let her go.

"I'm sorry," he ground out from between gritted teeth and whimpered. "Karai, I-I . . . I'm so . . ."

He felt her trembling, struggling, heard the awful sound of her body attempting to survive. Suffering slowly. He couldn't leave her like this. He knew what he had to do. He brought his hand up, between them; holding the back of her head to steady her; pressing his mouth against her forehead; shaking. He sliced across in a horizontal motion. Karai made no sound. Leonardo cried out for her. She fell forward, limp in his arms. He dropped his arm holding the sword to one side, unable to release his grip on the hilt now that he could. His fingers would not obey his mind's command. He buried his face into her dark hair and gave a strangled cry; sobbing dryly.

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In the infirmary, laying on the cot, an iv strapped to one arm, tears seeped through Leonardo's closed eyes. Splinter sat next to him. Quiet and somber. Unable to sleep. Unable to think. Unable to do anything but wait for his son to awaken and give him the details of his lost daughter's last moments.

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**A/N:** Okay, so maybe three chapters. :D


	3. Finale

**Chapter Three – Finale**

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Master Splinter shifted in the chair next to the cot Leonardo was resting on. His back ached. His neck stiff and a sharp pain thrust upwards from his shoulder to his jaw whenever he turned his head too far to one side. It was his body reminding him of his time limit here on Earth. Splinter gave a small sigh that was more of a soft groan of discomfort. How fleeting the years had actually been. How insubstantial and ethereal, like smoke running through fingers. The things that had made so much sense now seemed awkward and forced.

He pinched his eyes shut. It was the grief making him think this way; clouding his sense and reason when he sought peace with meditation while sitting here. But what peace came for a grieving father? What peace did he deserve when he should have done more to save her? Back when he was young and strong. When he was cock-sure and arrogant. But no, that moment of weakness when the fire raged and he stood by; immobilized; as if standing in a painting depicting cowardice at its prime. He had accepted the thought that the fire had consumed them. Both his wife and his daughter. And while _he_ was so quick to accept this, the other one, his rival, his enemy, his once dearest friend had rushed back. He knew that bitter truth now. _He_ had rushed back into those greedy flames. Had he considered the price of such actions? Did he hesitate and weigh the outcome against the risk to himself? The way the fire had spread, so violent, so fast, there was no way that Saki had even taken a moment to rethink his actions. No. He had cast aside his own safety to dive into the inferno. He risked his life to do what was Yoshi's job as father. As he stood by, safe in the false knowledge and blinding blanket that was grief, Saki had walked through hell to rescue _his_ daughter.

And now it was he, Karai's own father, who had molded and so intricately crafted the weapon that ended her life.

Leonardo stirred and opened his eyes. "S-Sensei?" he asked. His red-rimmed eyes cast about as though he wasn't sure where he was or if he was dreaming.

It was the self-loathing that choked him, but the regret and despair warring within his constricting chest that made him glare at the not-so innocent mutant child laying on the cot before him. The one who had killed his daughter. His daughter. His flesh and blood. Trembling hands curled into tight fists. It took him a minute to compose himself and reinstate a seemingly calm demeanor.

"Leonardo."

Silence fell and hung on them like cobwebs; sticky and persistent.

"M-Master Splinter?" Leonardo ventured.

He wasn't sure, but he suddenly felt upon waking that his father was angry with him. The tension filled the spaces between them; taunt and oppressive. Leonardo shifted and scooted himself backwards to sit more upright. He winced and held his side, arm draped across his abdomen. He noticed the IV attached to his arm and grimaced. He did not like needles and seeing one jabbed into his flesh turned his stomach. He stared instead at the edge of the blanket, pulling at the frayed edge with his fingers. The events of the last twenty-four hours came back to him. He knew he had to tell Splinter that an altercation had happened between him and Karai and that it ended with him having to take her life. Something that he still wasn't sure about. If he hadn't . . . at the very end . . . could she have survived? He wasn't Donatello. He didn't understand the fine line between mortal injuries and those that you could come back from. Did he do the right thing? Remembering the sounds she was making sent a tremor through him. His eyes darted to Master Splinter, seeking reassurance, but as their eyes locked, his breath caught in his throat. The look Splinter was giving him could only be described as piercing.

"Tell me what happened," Splinter said and his voice sounded strained.

Splinter leaned forward in his chair as Leonardo went over the events of his capture and subsequent battle with the robotic Foot soldiers. He told his Sensei of their skill and his worry about his brothers' having to fight them, but Splinter indicated to stay focused and tell him more.

"What of Karai?" he asked.

Leonardo dropped his head. "Sh-She was there. Controlling them. There was a device she was using. She was . . ." He looked up at Master Splinter and wetted his bottom lip. "I-I'm thirsty, Sensei."

Splinter shook his head impatiently, "I will have Donatello get you something, but please, go on. You say she was there and these soldiers . . . they were all mechanized?"

Leonardo nodded.

"And yet . . . your sword." His amber eyes rose up. He fidgeted and then stood up. Splinter began to pace in the small confines of the room next to Leonardo's cot. "Your sword was coated in blood, Leonardo. Whose blood was that?"

Leonardo shifted. He brought his hands to his middle and began wringing them. A nervous habit that set Master Splinter's teeth on edge. He was a ninja warrior not an old woman.

"Stop that!" he barked, making Leonardo jump.

"I-I'm sorry," Leonardo said in a quiet voice and forced his hands to be still. He swallowed dryly and continued, "The blood was, uhm, Karai's, Master. She had one of the bots on me. H-He was choking me," he trailed off and his eyes widened as the memory surfaced. The feel of the weight of the soldier pressing into his broken ribs, the terror building along with the pressure as he struggled to breathe, the sound of Karai promising to end his life as retribution against Splinter. For something that he was innocent of doing.

"And yet, that is Karai's blood on your sword?" Splinter asked, his back now turned on Leonardo.

"Yes. Sensei, she had the device and . . . I had to . . . my sword . . . and she was next to me. I took the opportunity and struck her."

Splinter's shoulders hitched slightly. "Tell me . . . in detail."

Leonardo nodded, determined to give his Sensei what he needed to hear. "The soldier had me pinned and Karai was to my right. She was telling me that she wanted to use m-me . . . as revenge for you taking her mother away. B-But that isn't true, right Master Splinter. You would never do anything like that. She thinks . . . thought . . . she thought you hurt her mother," he finished weakly.

Splinter spun around. "Stop digressing!" He moved close to the cot and slammed his claws onto the bed, jostling Leonardo who cringed and pulled back into the corner; pressing his shell against the pillow. "Just tell me . . . did you wound her? Is she still alive? Tell me what happened?!" His voice rose to a shout and Leonardo blinked and quailed.

He took in a shaky breath and said, "No. No, Master, I . . . I had no choice. I struck and it hit her," he motioned to his abdomen and center of his chest. Splinter stared at his hands with an intensity that made Leonardo's palms start to sweat. He didn't know what he'd done. But he feared that his actions were wrong in Master Splinter's perspective. He had to convince him that he'd done what he had to for the situation.

"I _had_ to. She had the controls and I couldn't breathe. The soldier was strangling me. So, I struck her."

Master Splinter's eyes inched their way up and locked with Leonardo's.

"She was going to kill me, Sensei."

"A killing blow?" Master Splinter choked out.

Miserably, Leonardo shook his head. At that, Splinter gave a strange, choked sound from his nose. Then the sound of Splinter grinding his teeth cut through the quiet.

"How long have you trained?" His amber eyes flashed at Leonardo.

Leonardo frowned. "I-I don't under-"

"How long have you trained? It's a simple question," Splinter shouted.

"My . . . My whole life, Sensei," came the quick reply.

Splinter straightened up. "That is correct. I have trained you. Your entire life. Trained you to defend yourself and your brothers. To avoid conflict whenever you can. To kill when only necessary."

"It was necessary, Sensei."

"And of this you are certain?"

Leonardo paled. His own doubt about the situation bubbled up. He remembered how close she was. Could he have managed to knock the device from her hands? Could he have broken free of the mechanized soldier without bringing any harm to Karai? Wasn't there a counter to get out of such a hold? His mind raced, his heart thrummed and he started to tremble under Splinter's harsh unrelenting glare.

"I . . . I don't . . ."

"You killed without being sure. You maimed her first. Did you not?"

"I . . . couldn't . . . the-the . . . soldier had me in such a way . . . there wasn't any room . . ." he panted out his attempt at making Splinter understand that he did his best.

"So you maimed her first!" Splinter shouted.

Leonardo nodded, "Yes. Yes, Splinter. I'm sorry. I did. I couldn't get a clear strike. B-But I ended it quickly." The tears that had threatened now were blinding him, but they did not fall.

"What do you mean," Splinter's voice was low, dangerous. His face dark as it crushed into a frown.

"She was . . . suffering. I . . ." he brought his hand up and made a swiping motion across his throat, unable to speak now.

The strength of Splinter's legs gave out and he fell. Leonardo rushed forward, pulling the IV from his arm in a long streak of blood. He lumbered to the ground next to his father. One hand alighting on his back.

"Master, are you . . . are you okay?"

Splinter shook his head back and forth slowly as the dizzy spell passed him. He felt the nausea threatening to make him spill meager contents of his stomach all over the floor. He did not want Leonardo close to him right now. He did not trust himself. He knew this disaster was of his own design. Fate had awarded his cowardice in the cruelest possible manner. He could not look at his adoptive son, his beloved student without seeing the killer of his lost baby girl. He shrugged Leonardo's hand from his back, roughly. Then, pressing one claw against his chest, Splinter pushed the boy slowly but firmly away from him. He braced one hand on one knee and struggled to stand. Leonardo rushed to his side once more, moving to help him.

Splinter snarled and shoved him back with both hands. "Leave me be!"

Leonardo stumbled back against the mattress, his arms propping himself up as his knees wobbled. His mouth opened and closed but no words came out. Splinter held up a hand, but did not look at him. His eyes were closed. The opposite hand hovered, trembling, just over his brow.

"Leave me be," he repeated in a breathless voice and turned towards the door.

"Master Splinter," came Leonardo's voice laced with hurt and confusion. "What did I do wrong?"

Splinter turned back to him. Leonardo was standing beside his bed, holding the arm where the puncture from the IV leaked a slow thick stream of blood down to his wrist. He was looking at him with round, lost eyes. But Splinter felt no pity. In that moment, he only knew that this one had killed her. Had injured her grievously and then had slit her throat. He had slaughtered her. His daughter. His only daughter.

He had crossed the room without realizing he had even moved. He was screaming, a repeating phrase over and over without ever commanding his voice to do so. _"My daughter! She was my daughter!"_ He had Leonardo in his grip without knowing that he had even touched him. He was shaking the boy vigorously without even realizing he was doing it. Sense came through the thundering madness that was his heartbeat in his ears. He released the boy and he crumbled to the floor, shaking and whimpering; quailing beneath Splinter's shadow. Tears streamed down his face despite his efforts at continuously wiping them away shamefully.

"My daughter. She was my daughter," Splinter continued to say. Then he closed his mouth. Behind him he heard the others. Each one coming inside only to stop after a step or two, stunned into immobility. The scene before them striking each one dumb. Silence settled again in the room, aside from the soft panting gasps of Leonardo at his feet. Splinter looked down. The boy gazed up at him, blinking hard at the hot tears that continued to spill forth unabated.

"I didn't know," he croaked in a mournful voice. "I didn't know."

Splinter took a step back. The room spun. He twisted and lumbered past the others. The ones who had become surrogate children to replace the one he'd lost those years ago. The daughter he thought had been consumed by the flames of jealousy and rivalry. A competition that was so petty and ridiculous that it would have been laughable in some other life; a life where no one was hurt or destroyed from it. In his old age, he could look back at the fools he and his friend had been and laugh and laugh about it. But that was not this reality. No. His daughter's ultimate fate was decided the day he began to train these creatures. The moment he learned that she still lived and had not told these boys, these weapons, that she was precious to him. More precious than anything in the world and they needed to protect her until he could convince her of her true lineage.

But that was all pointless now. There was only grief and hollow regret to accompany him as he slowly closed the door to his private quarters. He moved as if in a dream to the shelf. To the portrait. He lifted it from its spot in the center of the shelf and held it before his face. He stared at the baby girl, all bundled snug and safe, positioned between her mother and father. His eyes roved to Tang Shen's beautiful face; so perfect, her beauty made his heart hurt. Then he gazed at his own image. So proud. So arrogant and self-sure. With a roar of anguish, Splinter launched the framed picture across the room. It struck the wall and the glass shattered; fracturing into slivers and splinters of shimmering glass. Falling in a cascade of broken dreams and mournful loss. A grudge between friends now paid in full.

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**A/N:** Ah, what did you think?


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